The cvmakeover blog
Short, direct advice on CVs, résumés, and getting hired — by locale.
Federal Resume Format 2026: The OPM Two-Page Rule, Explained
USAJOBS now caps federal resumes at two pages. Effective September 27, 2025. Here is what to keep, what to cut, and how to clear OPM screening on the new format.
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Resume Action Verbs That Pass the 7.4-Second Scan in 2026
Which resume verbs still earn a fixation in 2026 and which 10 overused ones now read as AI-written. A culled list with the bullet structure recruiters actually pause on.
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ATS-Friendly Resume Format: What Parsers Actually Read in 2026
Most ATS advice is five years out of date. Here's what actually breaks resume parsers in 2026 — and which format choices don't matter anymore.
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CV Personal Statement Examples: What Works and What Fails
Six annotated CV personal statement examples — three that land interviews and three that get skimmed past. With the specific rewrites that fix them.
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CV vs Résumé: The Real Difference and Which to Send Where
The CV vs résumé distinction is about geography, not format. US non-academic = résumé. US academic or UK/Europe = CV. Here's how to route your document.
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Resume With No Experience: The 4 Sections That Replace Work History
Skip the functional resume. Build around Projects, Coursework, Volunteer Work, and Skills — four sections that prove capability without a job.
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How to Write a Resume Skills Section That Lands Interviews
A step-by-step guide to building a resume skills section that passes ATS scans, mirrors the job ad, and proves each skill with evidence from your work history.
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Resume Summary Examples That Survive a 7.4-Second Scan
Six resume summary examples built for the 7.4-second recruiter scan, with a before/after teardown and a copy-paste formula that works at any level.
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AI Resume Screening in 2026: How Algorithms Actually Read Your CV
How AI resume screening works in 2026: the two-stage parse-then-rank pipeline, the formatting errors that get you cut, and your legal opt-out rights.
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How Long Should a CV Be in 2026? The Definitive Guide
One page under 10 years' experience, two pages at senior level, longer only for academia. Here's the evidence behind each rule and when to break it.
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